1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to deflection of noise caused by the motor of a recreational vehicle. Often passengers in boats have a hard time communicating with one another due to the decibel level of the noise emanating from the engine. Commonly, the more powerful the engine the higher the decibel level. Because outboard engines are not enclosed by any structure of the boat itself, they typically cause more noise to enter the passenger area than do inboards. Inboards generally are quieter than outboards due to the fact they are better insulated, whereas outboards have less insulation and greater exposure to the passenger area of boats. The engine noise can cause several possible problems. First, passengers have a difficult time communicating with one another. During instances in which there is an emergency the need to have a quieter cockpit becomes essential. By decreasing the sounds produced from the engine in the passenger area, the passengers will experience a more pleasant boating experience. Another potential problem is the noise caused by some outboard engines could cause chronic or acute hearing problems. The longer the passengers are exposed to the noise created by the engine the greater the likelihood of hearing loss.
Outboard housings serve to reduce the noise created by these motors, but there is still a demand for a device that reduces the potentially harmful and unpleasant sounds caused by the engine of a boat. A prior art reference having noise control features is U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,324. This patent discloses a marine power propulsion assembly. The invention pertains to an inboard-powered engine which can be mounted in a sound-insulated compartment, and which covers the whole engine while absorbing some of the sound produced by the engine. While this device is effective in stopping some of the noise created from entering the passenger area with inboard engines, there is still a need to reduce the amount of noise entering the passenger area from outboard engines.